Rhapsody In Pink
by Tessaflo
Summary: A day in the life of the Pink Lightspeed Ranger. Dana must face her destruction...or destiny. Chapter 4 new!
1. Where There's Smoke...

Power Rangers belongs to Saban and Co. I'm only borrowing them for my own amusement. I promise to return them at the end of the week in satisfactory condition.

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This story was first conceived from my frustration that the majority of the stories and character development seemed to center around Carter and Ryan. If I had my druthers', I would have liked to see a little more happen with Dana. But, since that never happened, this is attempt to do justice to what could have, should have been. Please read the author's notes at the bottom.

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Rhapsody In Pink

Chapter I

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"The moving finger writes, and, having writ,

Moves on; nor all your piety nor wit,

Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,

Nor all your tears wash out a Word of it."

-Omar Khaydiam

Dana Mitchell walked into the control room of the Lightspeed Aqua Base. Normally, she would have been interested in what was happening, in what the monitors and sensors showed. Today, though, she barely acknowledged the eager greetings of the technicians, scientists, and others that were part of the Lightspeed Rescue Team. Those who knew her well knew better than to be offended; some of the newer recruits whispered among themselves about how spoiled and privileged she was; they were quickly discouraged by the 'veterans' in the group.

Dana was in too much of a hurry to notice the impact she had as she walked briskly through the room, not quite running but as close to it as she dared. Running through the small and often crowded halls and corridors was one of her father's pet peeves. In fact, if memory served her right, Joel was serving waste extractor duty for just such an infraction. 

She smiled briefly in remembrance. Joel's stubborn refusal to follow the rules and regulations that were (necessarily) imposed on them all often got him into heaps of trouble. Not that it seemed to matter to him; after a day of punishment he set out to find new rules and break them, too. Dana suspected it had something to do with his initial reluctance to become a power ranger. He never missed a chance to remind them that he had put his career as a stunt pilot on hold in order to discharge his duties as the green ranger. Still, despite his complaining and often arrogant attitude, she often thought he was enjoying himself more than he let on, and not just because of his determination to win the affections of Miss Fairweather. And next to Kelsey, he was often the most outgoing member of the five rangers. 

Nothing at all like Carter. In many ways, he was what she'd thought her father was like at her age. Headstrong, self-driven, and a natural born leader. He had great potential, but hadn't learned to funnel and that blind energy and drive into a sense of purpose. He set high standards for the other rangers, and even higher standards for himself. And despite his leadership potential, he had a hard time trusting his decisions and judgment as well as the other rangers'. Out of all the rangers, besides her, he took his job the most seriously. He had a hard time opening up to them, becoming a part of their team. And it didn't help that he spent all of his down time alone, out jogging or in the training simulator. Even when he went with them to the beach or the arcade, he remained distant and aloof. It was as if he were determined to do everything by himself. She shook her head. His distance made working together as a team more awkward than perhaps it should be. She shrugged. That was something her father would have to deal with; it was his responsibility to oversee the team. And at least the two worked out together now.

Kind of like Chad and Kelsey. Although the two had met the day that Miramon attacked Mariner Bay, they had already struck up a deep camaraderie. It was usually Kelsey who managed to coax him out of his shell when they were together. Chad also had been slow in joining the group. It was Kelsey who had overcome his reticence and encouraged him to laugh and joke and voice his opinions. Dana noticed that however shy Chad was it paid to listen to him because when he did contribute, he had insights and options that no one else had thought of. His ideas always worked flawlessly. He was a superb athlete; when he went through his katas, they seemed as if he had been born with them. His martial arts background also gave him incredible discipline and control. On top of that, he was comfortable to be around. Unlike with Carter, Dana never felt she had to fill the silence around Chad with meaningless chatter. 

And then there was Kelsey. Of all the rangers, she was considered the most "normal," if such a thing existed. She was perpetually cheerful and was always the first to offer encouragement and support when times were tough. Secretly, Dana admired how effortlessly Kelsey seemed to interact with others. She often wondered if she would have been more like her if she had had a normal childhood, with normal parents. Kelsey also was an excellent athlete, with an incredible strength and flexibility that came from years of rock-climbing. And as they only other girl on a team full of guys, Kelsey was her natural ally. They even shared quarters.

Dana shook her head to dispel her reverie. There would be plenty of time to wax philosophical later; now she was late for the morning briefing. She wasn't prone to tardiness, like Joel, but she had overslept and not woken up when her alarm clock went off. It probably had something to do with staying up until three in the morning cramming the latest medical journal into her head, trying to keep current with the latest in breakthrough techniques and technology. She wanted to go into medical school at least somewhat prepared, and she never knew what she would face as a ranger. Like Carter, even more so, she took her responsibility very seriously. She was often the first paramedic on the scene, and she had to be prepared when others entrusted their lives to her.

As she came to the door, she stopped briefly to straighten her clothes and compose herself. She tugged her shirt down, trying to smooth out some of the wrinkles. She was too used to wearing a uniform, to looking crisp and ordered, that even with civilians clothes old habits died hard. Sometimes she wished she could go back to her uniform, because then at least she always knew what to wear and how to act. But when she had become a ranger, she had been reclassified as a civilian, because, according to her father, she could not divide her loyalties between the service and the power rangers. Besides, beings a civilian gave her more options and opportunities. Still, there were days when she wished she was back under commission.

Once her breathing slowed and her hair was neatly smoothed, she stepped through the doorway into the briefing room. The other rangers, Miss Fairweather and her father were seating at the long table, studying the monitor on the wall. She snuck into her seat, hoping no one would notice, but knowing her father was not so easily fooled. As she opened her briefing folder, Captain Mitchell cleared his throat.

"I'm glad you decided to join us, Dana. Unfortunately, we had to start- on time- without you."

She lowered her head, feeling her cheeks flush with embarrassment. "I apologize for my tardiness. I assure you it will not happen again." Captain Mitchell nodded.

"See that it doesn't. Now try to catch up with the briefing." He turned way, then back. "Oh, and Dana?" He added as an afterthought. "Please remain behind when I dismiss you all." Only her sense of pride kept her from slumping into her chair. Out of the corner of her eye, Joel grinned sympathetically. She was in for it, all right. Captain Mitchell continued with his briefing. "Now, our mission here is twofold. Obviously, we need to prevent, at all costs, Queen Banshira from regaining control of the Bay. We also need to find a way to nullify her and her demons once and for all. More immediately, we need to figure out what Dilabolico and Vypra are up to. It's been far too quiet this last week. Only one monster attack, and an easy win at that. There's definitely something up. We need to know what." He gestured, and the monitor showed an aerial map of the city. A click of his fingers, and the map was divided into five sections. "You each have been assigned an area that you will patrol today, looking for signs of trouble. Keep your eyes open for anything suspicious. Anything out of the ordinary. Call in at the first sign of trouble. We'll be monitoring you from here. There's no telling what Diabolico is up to." He straightened up. "You're dismissed." They rose to their feet and filed out of the room. Dana stood, waiting patiently. As he passed her, Joel squeezed her arm.

"Stay strong." He mock-whispered. At a glance from Captain Mitchell, he hurried out. Dana grinned in spite of herself. Her father rounded the table and stopped in front of her. 

"You were late. Why?" He didn't wait for her to reply. "I expected better from you, out of all of you. You should know better. You have to set an example for them; they're not used to the kind of discipline you are." He paused, annoyed. "Well?"

"I'm sorry. I overslept. I know that's not an excuse, and even if it were, I'm not making one. I take full responsibility for my mistakes. I'll try to set a better example in the future." She kept her expression carefully neutral and firm. Her father wasn't satisfied.

"Sometimes I think you're not taking your responsibilities as Pink Ranger seriously enough. You, of all people here should realize how much is at stake." He had begun to raise his voice, and now made an effort to lower it. "I glanced over your incident reports and duty logs. Most of them are woefully incomplete. Do you think your position as a ranger excuses you from your other responsibilities around here?"

"No." She adamantly denied that. "I know that I've been falling behind lately; it's just that I haven't had time between one monster attack and another. But I've been working on the logs all this week, and I'm almost caught up."

"What about your paramedic re-certification? You missed five questions on it. That wouldn't have happened if you had studied the material." He put a hand on her shoulder. "Everyone had been under a lot of pressure lately. I wouldn't give you so much responsibility if I didn't think you were capable of handling it. I expect to see some improvement." He backed away. "Dismissed." Dana remained where she was. When he noticed that she hadn't left, he frowned. "Was there something else?"

She swallowed. She desperately wanted him to understand, to smile and tell her how proud he was of her. Another part of her was angry; wanted to scream that she was only human and allowed to make mistakes. But she pushed those feelings back and asked instead, "Have you heard anything from Ryan?" He shook his head.

"Not since he went off to find a way to defeat Banshira. I only know that his signal originates somewhere in the desert." He smiled reassuringly. "I wouldn't worry about him. Ryan is more than capable of taking care of himself. He is, after all, a ranger."

_So am I_, she thought. _But that isn't good enough for you, is it? _She nodded. "Right. I guess I just miss him, that's all. It was hard enough to let him go ten years ago." She hoped that would satisfy her father. "I don't think I could handle that a second time." 

"You won't have to. Ryan is coming back. I promise." He cleared his throat. "Now. You should be getting to your duties. I'll see you later. Dismissed." Fighting the urge to salute, she turned sharply and left the room. 

She caught up with the others in the launch bay as they were grabbing their gear. As she was putting on her jacket, Kelsey approached her. 

"So you survived after all. Was he really mad?" She was genuinely concerned.

"Well, I was late. You know how much he hates that," Dana admitted. Kelsey nodded in agreement.

"Yeah." She glanced mischievously around, then lowered her voice to a whisper. "You must have come in really late last night. I didn't hear you come in. When I woke up, I figured you'd be tired, so I didn't want to wake you up." She grinned. "Were you with Carter? Chad said he came in late, too. You two didn't happen to catch the late movie or anything, did you?"

Dana groaned. Most of the time, she was able to ignore Kelsey's ribbing and not-so-subtle hints, but not today. "Look, I've told you a thousand times, there is nothing going on between me and Carter. Nor is that likely to change in the future. For your information, I spent most of last night catching up on my reading and logs. So just drop it, okay?" That last came out sharper than she meant it to, but she was angry. She was tired of being paired with Carter in everyone's mind. The only thing they had in common was their status as rangers and their mutual respect for her father. And despite her fervent denial, some people still insisted on seeing more than there was. 

Kelsey backed off, both physically and verbally. "Okay, okay. I didn't mean to upset you." As they rode to their respective areas in the HumVee, she changed the subject to inane matters and her plans for her grandmother's surprise birthday party. Dana was grateful she'd taken the hints and dropped the whole thing. That was one less thing she had to deal with on what was shaping up to be a really bad day.

* * *

Her section of the city was mainly the industrial area, occupied by huge factories and plants. She slowly walked through the streets, keeping her eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary. There weren't many people around, other than those working in the factories. When they came out during the lunch break to take advantage of the sunny day and the catering trucks, her stomach rumbled sympathetically. She hadn't had time for breakfast, and hadn't thought to bring anything to eat with her. She sighed. It was going to be a long day, indeed.

As she walked by yet another plant, something made her stop and look at it again. There was nothing noticeably wrong, and yet she felt something in the back of her mind jolt. Walking up to the gate, the feeling intensified. Stashing her jacket in some nearby bushes, she approached the guard booth, and into the security guard's scrutiny.

"Is there something I can do for you, Miss?" He stepped out of the booth and into her path. 

"Well, yes, actually." Dana tried to look both naive and confused. "I'm new around town, and the temp agency sent me down here to take over for one of the secretaries. Something about maternity leave. Anyway, they forgot to tell me the name or exact address of the place, and I'm not familiar with this area. I was hoping this was the place." She smiled alluringly at the guard. 

"Well, that's easy enough to find out. I'll just call in and see if they're expecting you. Going into the booth, he picked up the radio and spoke briefly into it. A moment later, a reply came back. Smiling politely, he addressed her. "Sorry. You must have the wrong place. No one here knows anything about you."

"Sorry about that. I could have sworn they mentioned a chemical plant." She turned to leave, then turned back. "Say, you must know this area pretty well. Is there any other chemical plant around here?" 

Another polite smile. "Sorry, I couldn't tell you. I'm just a run-of-the-mill gate guard. Good luck, though."

"Thanks," she called as she walked away. Once she was out of sight, she ducked into a hedge and studied the building. She had no reason to suspect something was amiss, but the feeling was still there, bugging her. 

As her stomach rumbled again, she noticed that, unlike the other buildings, there were no workers outside for their lunch break, nor were there any catering trucks parked outside. In fact, there were hardly any cars in the parking lot at all. But the plant had to be open, otherwise why bother having a guard at the booth? And there was something about that guard... So he hadn't known about the other three chemical plants in the area. Maybe he was new. But then why hadn't he said so? And there was something odd about his appearance. His uniform was too big for him; the pants rolled up at the bottom and how the sleeves were just a little too long. It was as if it wasn't his uniform at all. 

The feeling began to coalesce into a lump in her stomach. As she started to call the others over her communicator, she hesitated. What would she tell them, anyway? That the booth guard was wearing a uniform too big for him and that the workers weren't outside on their lunch break? Now that she thought about it, she had no valid reason to suspect anything, other than a hunch that even she couldn't explain. And suppose she did call the others and it turned out to be nothing more than a feeling. She would certainly lose credibility, not to mention the lecture she would get from her father for sending then on a wild goose chase when Vypra was out there, somewhere.

No, she would have to be sure, have to have something more than what she did before she could justify reporting in. And the only way to do that was to get a closer look, inside the factory. She crept along the perimeter until she found a loose section of fence she could lift up and crawl under. Once inside, she ran from car to car until she could sprint across the open space and flatten herself against the wall. Having made it this far, she had no idea how to get inside. That was, until she looked up and spotted the ladder of the fire escape. Moving as quietly as possible, she scaled the ladders up the side of the building, testing the windows she came to, seeing if any were open. Unfortunately, none were, and if she had to break in that way, someone was bound to notice. 

Eventually, she ran out of ladders to climb and found herself on the roof. As she spotted a large skylight, she grinned. This was much better than any window. Carefully, she crawled to the edge and peered into the plant below. It was one large room, with crates and barrels of various chemicals (she was too far away to read the labels) stacked in what seemed to be a haphazard manner along the walls. Several large vats were in use, breathing fumes and vapors into the room. Then her gaze picked up movement in the center of the room, and her heart thumped loudly in her chest.

She had found them, all right. Both Vypra and Diabolico were busy directing several batwings in the mixing and building of... something. They were concentrating all their efforts on the largest vat, which held some sort of bubbling, steaming liquid. As she watched, an entire barrel of white powder was stirred in, and the mixture began emitting a greenish-yellow fog that spilled slowly down the sides of the tank. Fascinated, she crawled up onto the panes of glass and carefully scrutinized the work below her, trying to determine what the demons were up to.

Vypra was busy ordering a line of batwings to hurry when one of the creatures dropped his end of an open barrel, causing the liquid it contained to spill all over the floor. Cursing the creature for it's clumsiness and overall stupidity, she stepped back in order to avoid the flow of the liquid. As she did so, she noticed the shadow the skylight cast on the floor. Her eyes immediately picked out the shadow that Dana cast. Narrowing her eyes, she ambled over to Diabolico was standing and subtly gestured to the floor.

"Don't look up, but we've got an intruder. On the roof." 

He nodded in understanding. "Then deal with it immediately."

With that, she aimed her sword at the ceiling and sent a lightning bolt of energy upwards. Dana was caught completely by surprise as the skylight shattered beneath her and she found herself plummeting down to the cement floor far below. Fighting down panic as the ground rushed up to meet her, she barely had the presence of mind to tap her morpher. As she felt the familiar surge of power that always accompanied morphing, she wondered if even that would be enough to shield her from what was going to be a hard landing. As she hit the ground, she tucked and rolled in order to absorb as much of the impact as she could. Even so, the shock rolled painfully up from her feet. As soon as she could, she was up on her feet, assessing the situation. 

Even discounting the batwings closing in menacingly around her, she was hopelessly outnumbered and outmatched. She could deal with Vypra, Diabolico, and the batwings one at a time, but not all together. Then the batwings surged into her, and she could do nothing but try to push them back. They seemed to have learned from their previous battles, and no longer waited to attack her one at a time. They came at her in threes and fours, and it was all she could do to avoid their blows. She didn't even have time between attacks to call for the help she sorely needed. It was a viscous circle: the more blows they landed on her as she began to tire, the less resistance she mustered, and that let even more attacks through. 

Finally, due to the sheer number of them and attrition, they overpowered her and brought her, struggling uselessly, before Diabolico and Vypra. "I don't know what you're up to, Vypra, but you'll never get away with it," she declared, wincing at how much that sounded like something Carter would say. Unfortunately, she was bluffing, and they knew it.

"Who's going to stop me? You, pathetic ranger?" Vypra sneered. "You can't even save yourself." 

__

True, thought Dana, _but then I'd like to see how well you would fare against such bad odds. _But it wouldn't do her any good complaining about the inherent unfairness of her situation. In her experience, the Rangers were rarely on level ground to begin with. 

"What, you never learned how to count to five? My friends will make short work of you. In fact, any time now, you'll be running back to Queen Banshira with your pathetic tails between your legs, just like you always do." She tried to put more confidence into her voice than she felt. Diabolico stepped forward threateningly, but Vypra put a restraining hand out.

"I think you're lying. In fact, I don't think your friends even know you're here." She laughed. It was not a pleasant sound. "Poor little ranger, all alone. No one will save you this time, puny ranger." At a gesture from her, the batwings released her and backed away. She sank to the ground, not willing to trust her unsteady legs to hold her up. "And now for your destruction." 

In unison, both Vypra and Diabolico released bolts of energy at her. She dodged one, but took the full brunt of the other. The force of it knocked her backward. As she staggered wearily to her feet, another barrage hit her, sending her tumbling into a stack of crates. Knowing that she was dead meat if she stopped moving, she forced herself back onto her feet and out of the way of the next blast. It sailed past her and set the stack of wooden crates on fire. She ran desperately, trying to dodge the attacks. The batwings had formed a wide circle around her, not interfering but also cutting off any chance of her retreat. 

The wooden crates quickly spread the flames; the room filled with noxious smoke and the flames licked dangerously at the vats and barrels of chemicals. Already, small explosions were sending toxic vapors into the air. Her eyes and throat began to burn. Through the smoke, Diabolico was directing the batwings to pick up the vat of chemicals. Once it had, they and it disappeared in midair; teleported to safety, no doubt. 

Though she only was distracted for a moment, it was long enough for both Vypra and Diabolico to get a bead on her. This time, she had no chance of dodging the blasts. They hit her with the force of a freight train, sending her flying backwards until she slammed into the wall. As she bounced off the wall, her uniform shimmered and then disappeared as she de-morphed. She hit the ground, grimacing in pain. Even the morphing power had its limits, and could only take so many hits before it overloaded and failed. 

Coughing, she struggled to get up and failed. Her strength was fading fast. Blinking, trying to see through the thick black smoke, she caught a glimpse of Vypra teleporting away, then was seized with a fit of coughing. The heat from the flames seemed to eat into her, and the concrete felt hot under her. The flames were traveling up the sides of the vats, towards the volatile mix of chemicals in them. Groaning, she tried again to get up and felt her arms and legs collapse under her. Her head felt heavy and distant. She couldn't seem to stop coughing, and her eyes streamed with tears. _The chemicals are toxic! _Her mind screamed. _I'm sitting on a powder keg, and the match is lit! _

* * *

Captain William Mitchell had been pacing the length of the control room all morning as the technicians ran scan after scan on the city, trying to find any sign of activity. So far, it was turning out to be an exercise in futility. There was absolutely nothing happening that was even remotely threatening. Neither had the rangers found anything yet. And yet he knew, in ways he couldn't explain, that _something _was happening. It was frustrating and infuriating knowing that there was something threatening his city and at the same time being helpless to prevent it. A tap on his shoulder made him spin around, ready to spring at any threat. Ms. Fairweather took a step backward.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." She held up a pitcher with steam rising from it placatingly. "I thought you might like something to drink." 

He smiled slightly. "Moonlighting as a beverage server, Ms. Fairweather? You seem to be a little overqualified for that." He sniffed appreciatively. "Coffee?"  
"Tea, actually. I find that it helps me to relax and focus my mind." She paused. "I believe you could use some. You're making everyone very nervous, especially when you pop up behind one of the junior techs to read the monitors. Plus, if you keep that pacing up, we'll have to replace the carpet." She smiled. 

He studied her for a moment. "All right," he relented, "I have been a little tense today." As she poured him a cup, he paused, unsure of how to begin. "I wonder if you could help me with a rather...personal...matter?"

She looked up, startled. "I can try."

He took a deep breath. "It's about Dana. Do you think I'm too hard on her?"

She paused, thoughtfully. "I think you care a great deal about her, and raise your expectations accordingly."

"This morning, when she came in late to the briefing. I came down pretty hard on her, afterward. I wonder if I would have been as strict if it had been, say, Joel who walked in late."

"As I seem to recall, you come down on him a lot for tardiness."

"That's because he's prone to it. Dana, though, knows better. I expect more from her because she's lived with that kind of discipline all her life."

"Are you sure it's not because she's your daughter?"

"Sometimes I'm not sure where I go from being her father to her commanding officer, and vice versa. When it's appropriate. How do I know where to draw the line?"

She patted his arm reassuringly. "I think the very fact that you're even asking the question shows that you know the answer."

"I just want her to be happy and succeed."

"That's all every parent wants. You've done a remarkable job, raising her by yourself. That can't have been easy."

He shrugged. "Dana's always been a trooper. She never once complained when we had to move every few months, or when I went away for days on business. She was always there with a smile on her face, no matter what. Just like she never complains now." He paused. "She's worried about Ryan, though. Not that I blame her. His coming back really threw us both through a loop. She was too young to really know her mother, and my job had us moving so frequently that she never really made any friends. She and Ryan were inseparable. When she lost him, she wouldn't talk for close to three months. It took her a long time to get over that."

"And then he suddenly reappears 10 years later, betraying you to Diabolico. It must have been rough for her."

He sighed. "I wish I knew. She refuses to talk to me about him, other than to ask if I've heard from him." He frowned. "Come to think of it, we've drifted a little apart through all of this."

"Psychologically, it makes sense. In order for her to bond with the other rangers, she had to distance herself from you."

"I guess so. I miss how she used to come to me with her problems, expecting me to make everything all better with a wave of my hand."

Ms. Fairweather laughed. "That I can't help you with. It's called growing up." 

Whatever else she was going to day was forgotten as alarms went off at every station. He rushed over to the viewing screen. "What is it?"

Ms. Fairweather was pouring over the latest data. "A four alarm fire at the MetroChem plant. Emergency personal are in route now."

His expression was grim. "All those chemicals in one place makes for a very dangerous situation." He flicked on his headset. "Attention, rangers. There's a fire at the MetroChem plant. ERTs are on their way, but this might be more than they're prepared for. Get there ASAP and get everyone away safely. That building is a powder keg waiting to happen."

Carter's voice cut through the static. "Understood. We're on our way."

"I'll meet you there." At Ms. Fairweather's questioning look, he stated, "I have experience fighting chemical fires that the firefighters here don't. Stay here and monitor the situation. Keep in contact." She nodded dazedly as he ran out the door.

* * *

As Carter arrived at the scene, he wasn't prepared for what awaited him. He had seen some large fires before, but nothing compared to this. A minute later, the others arrived later, sans Dana. A cold feeling began to spread from the pit of his stomach. Pushing it aside momentarily, he quickly dispatched instructions to the others. They were the first to arrive on the scene, but he could hear sirens in the distance.

"We have to get everyone out of the area as quickly as possible. That includes evacuating the surrounding buildings. Don't let anyone go anywhere near the plant."

As usual, Joel had something to say. "How are you supposed to get it under control from back here? How are you gonna put it out?"

"We're not." This came from behind them as Captain Mitchell joined them. "It's to dangerous to send anyone in; we have no idea what's in there." His glance swept over them. His eyes narrowed. "Where's Dana? This is her area; she should have been the first one here." 

Carter keyed his communicator. "Dana, come in." Only static answered. "Dana, this is Carter. Where are you?" The cold feeling spread outward. "Dana, respond!" He turned to Captain Mitchell. "Have you heard from her?" The older man shook his head.

"Hey! Over here!" It was Kelsey. She had spotted something in the bushes and was in the process of retrieving it. "Does this answer your question?" She held it up. It was Dana's jacket. As one, they turned to the burning building. Kelsey gulped. "You don't think..."

Captain Mitchell adjusted his headset. "Ms. Fairweather, come in."

"Go ahead." Her voice sounded harried. 

"I need you to pinpoint Dana's location. Track her down through her morpher."

There was a pause that seemed an eternity. "I can't find her. I can't get a lock on her morpher." Another long pause. "As best as I can tell, her last location was somewhere in the immediate area."

"How immediate?" His tone was grim.

"Within a square kilometer, give or take a few meters" Miss Fairweather paused as she put the pieces together. She gasped. "If she's inside that plant..." Her voice trailed off as if she were afraid to go on and voice the hideous possibility. Squaring his shoulders, Captain Mitchell made a decision.

"Everyone except Carter, spread out and evacuate the perimeter, including the surrounding buildings. Hurry, there's no telling when the plant will explode." They all hesitated.

"What about Dana?" Chad asked

"That's Carter's job. Now get going." They nodded and hurried off, shouting directions. He turned to Carter. "You'll have to morph. Go in and get her out, but don't do anything stupid. If you can't find her, get out of there. You won't stand a chance if those chemicals ignite while you're in there, even morphed." Carter nodded. 

"What about you, sir?"

"I'll wait for the rest of the cavalry to get here. Once they arrive, I'll suit up and join you. Now, go!" 

Carter took off for the building, activating his morpher as he ran. As he felt the familiar jolt of power wash over him, he hoped it would be enough to accomplish what he had to do. If Dana was in there, then she needed his help. He wasn't about to let her down.

* * * * *

Dana lay on the floor, gasping for breath. The fumes were getting heavier by the minute, already she felt light-headed and slow. Her muscles felt like lead. It was all she could do just to hold her head up. Meter by agonizing meter, she dragged herself towards the nearest door. When she was halfway there, a yellow canister exploded in front of her, sending a fine mist spraying all over her. Immediately, a searing fire began to spread from her eyes and throat down to her lungs. Coughing and retching, she tried to stop the agony as it gripped her body, sending her into spasms that left her twitching on the floor. As she began to lose consciousness, she was dimly aware that the vats of chemicals were exploding around her, and a wall of fire rushed towards her. Before she could force a scream from her damaged throat, she fell in to a bottomless pit, welcoming the darkness that rushed up to embrace her.

* * * * *

As he approached the building, Carter could feel the intense heat, even through his suit. It roared at him with the ferocity of a wounded lion. Although he had fought many fires, he had never gotten used to the sound of a fire. It still affected him. Around the door frame, the steel siding had warped in the intense heat, writhing and twisting like a snake with its head cut off. He kicked open the door. A wall of fire rushed towards him, eager to devour him. With a panicked shout, he turned and ran, waving his arms desperately.

"Get back!" He screamed at the onlookers. "Get back! It's going to blow." Even as the words left his mouth, the air around him was sucked in towards the fire, and a massive boom rattled the air around him. The building exploded in a shower of glass and steel; chunks of concrete and steel girders flew outward, deadly shrapnel. He was lifted off his feet and tossed like a rag doll through the air fifty feet away. As he landed he hugged the ground, hands over his head, hoping he wouldn't get impaled by any flying debris. A wave of heat rushed by him, moving too fast to burn him. Over the eerie silence, he could hear the sirens of the firetrucks as the turned the corner and screeched to a halt nearby. As he sat up, someone shouted his name.

The others rushed toward him. Dazed, shaking off the ringing in his ears, he was only dimly aware of them as he turned to stare at the smoking, debris-laden crater that was all that remained of the plant. His mind went numb as he thought of Dana, caught in the middle of the horrific explosion. A part of his mind wondered if there was anything left of her; she had most likely been vaporized in the heat. _No,_ another part screamed, _don't even think it. She had to make it out, she had to! _He repeated that over and over again, trying to make himself believe it.

He turned to see his own torment, magnified exponentially, reflected in the eyes of Captain Mitchell. The older man stood frozen, unable to tear his eyes away from the smoking crater. Although his face was emotionless, his hands had curled into fists and were shaking. Feeling helpless, Carter walked over and stood next to the older man, both caught up in their communal grief and shock. 

Though the was really nothing anything of them could do, the Rangers and Captain Mitchell remained at the scene as the fire crews cleaned up after the blaze. Soon, investigators were combing through the wreckage, looking for clues as to how the fire had started. 

Somehow, Joel didn't think they would believe it was demons from another dimension. He was still reeling from Dana's loss. He couldn't believe she was gone. Of all the rangers, she kept to herself, but had recently begun to open up to the rest of them. She had always seemed so perfect, so...invulnerable. She was the most level-headed of any of them, always thinking her actions through. Now she was gone. His thoughts were interrupted when one of the firefighters approached the group.

"Captain Mitchell?" Her tone conveyed her respect and sympathy. "We found this in the middle of the crater, sir. I knew you would want to see it." She held up what was barely recognizable as Dana's morpher. It was charred and blackened, and the casing had begun to melt. "I'm so sorry, sir. Everyone is." She cleared her throat. "They asked me to tell you." She handed the morpher to him.

He stood there for a long moment, staring at all that was left of his daughter. Then he closed his eyes. When he opened them, they were only a little moist. "Thank you. And thank them." With that, he turned and walked away. The rangers stared after him, unsure of whether or not to follow him. Carter shook his head.

"He needs some time alone right now. Come on, lets get back to the base. Whatever Dana found was worth dying over. I want to make sure its not worth killing over." Somberly, they climbed into the HumVee and drove back.

To be continued

* * * * *

Like it? Hate it? Want more? Take a moment from your busy schedule and write a review below. Not only does it help me, you'll feel better for having done it. All I ask is that you are relevant and (constructively) critical. Non-relevant flames and other such junk will be ignored. I tried to proof-read it a couple of times, but I apologize for anything I missed. As this is by no means finished, suggestion and advice would be very helpful. I reserve the right to choose which, if any, to act upon.

ã 2000 by Tessaflo. All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced in any way or form, digitally or otherwise, without the express written permission of the author. (Ask, and ye shall receive 99% of the time.)


	2. Requiem For A Ranger

As always, Power Rangers and everything it entails belongs to Saban and Co. They alone make money (lots and lots of it) for their work.

This is the second part of "Rhapsody in Pink". It is strongly suggested that you read the first part if you haven't already. 

Please read the Author's Notes at the bottom of the page.

****

Power Rangers: Rhapsody in Pink

Chapter II

__

"Life is real! Life is earnest!

And the grave is not it's goal;

Dust thou art, to dust returnest,

Was not spoken of the soul.

Tell me not, in mournful numbers,

Life is but an empty dream!

For the soul is dead that slumbers,

And things are not what they seem!"

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

* * *

Dana awoke to pain. Pain that seemed to radiate throughout her body, sending wave after wave over every nerve and fiber of her being. In a strange way, though, she was grateful for its presence. She felt pain, therefore; she was alive. And she much preferred being alive over the alternative. As she concentrated, she was able to drive the pain back a ways. As it receded, her awareness began to take over and expand outward. She lay still, letting her senses tell her of her surroundings. She smelled nothing. A faint dripping sound seemed to echo around her. She heard her own breathing and heartbeat, magnified in the silence. She was lying on a cold, hard, and slightly damp surface. She listened carefully, but heard nothing to indicate there was anyone with her.

Slowly, carefully, she opened her eyes a slit. Seeing nothing, she gradually opened them all the way. Nothing. She was in darkness so complete that even shadows failed to penetrate it. She fought down the urge to panic. As a child, she had often had nightmares very similar to this. Alone, in a cold, dark place, not knowing what would happen to her...

She forced herself to take several long, deep breaths. Letting some silly childhood fear overtake her was not going to help. _I need something to do, some purpose. _She decided to learn as much about her surroundings as possible. Maybe find some clue as to how she came here. Wherever here was. Moving slowly, she used her arms to sit up. A rush of blood to her head made her dizzy. As she recovered, she became aware of the pain throbbing through her battered body. Her muscles were sore and bruised. The skin on her arms and knees was scraped raw, the cold air making it sting. But her biggest concern was her chest. Each breath she drew in sent fire searing through her. Her analytical mind automatically began to categorize and diagnose her injuries.

__

The bruises and scrapes are from fighting Vypra. The soreness, too. And my lungs...I must have inhaled something toxic. That explains the shortness of breath and pain. And why my head hurts. Experimentally, she cleared her throat and was rewarded with another throb of pain. _Must have damaged the lining of my throat and vocal chords, too. Nothing life-threatening, although I wish I knew what I inhaled. _

Feeling around her carefully, she stood up slowly walked until she bumped into a wall. Keeping one hand on the wall, she followed it around until she bumped into a set of cold bars. She felt her stomach drop. Well, that answered one question. Wherever she was, it wasn't among friends. She continued to follow the wall until she was sure she had come full circle. Reaching up, her hand barely brushed the ceiling. As far as she could tell, she was in some sort of cell, with stone walls on three sides and metal bars on the fourth. Five paces took her from one wall to the other. Try as she might, she couldn't hear anything except the sounds of her movement. The dripping water seemed to be coming from a good distance away. 

She shivered in the cold air. Either she was underground, or someone had the air conditioning turned up way too high. Already her hands were beginning to go numb. She forced herself to walk the length of her cell, flexing her arms and legs as she went. After a good deal of wincing, she discovered the exercise was lessening much of the soreness and stiffness. She continued to worry about the damage to her lungs. If she wasn't careful to breath in short, shallow breaths, her lungs would catch and trigger another painful coughing fit. She only hoped this was a sign they were healing, instead of getting worse. She seemed to be in enough trouble as it was.

__

I wish I knew what happened. Or if the others are okay. All she could remember was losing consciousness. _Instead of being dead, I ended up here. Wherever here is. I suppose I should be grateful to be anywhere. _A pang of homesickness hit her. _I wish I were home now. I don't care if Dad would lecture me. He'd be right, I made a very stupid mistake. I just hope it wasn't my last._ She was interrupted by footsteps approaching. Thinking quickly, she dropped where she was and feigned unconsciousness. There was no telling who was coming, and since she was hardly in a position to fight, she would make sure they underestimated her. It would make it easier to escape later. She didn't let herself doubt for a moment that she _would_ escape.

With a clang, the door to her cell swung open. Then she heard a voice that made her blood run cold and her insides freeze. 

"Bring her." It was filled with a mocking triumph. "Queen Banshira will be very pleased to see her." Olympus's declaration filled her with dread. As she was roughly hoisted and flung on someone's shoulders like a sack of potatoes, she wondered if she wouldn't have been better off back in the burning plant.

* * *

It was a somber group that gathered in the briefing room the next morning. All of them had not slept at all during the night, as was evidenced by the dark circles under their eyes. Carter had no doubt that the weary expressions the others wore was mirrored on him. When they had returned the night before, Captain Mitchell had not. After hours spent futiley searching for any sign of the demons, they had allowed Miss Fairweather to banish them from the lab to rest. Carter had returned to the quarters he shared with Chad and Joel, and all three had sat staring at the ceiling. They had been jolted out of their trances by a knock at the door. It was Kelsey, her eyes red from crying. She looked miserably back at them.

"I couldn't stand staying there any longer. It reminds me too much of her." They all knew who she was referring to. "Is it okay if I crash here tonight? I can sleep on the floor." She had ended up on the couch, muffling her sobs in a pillow. They spent the remainder of the night pretending to sleep, knowing the others were doing the same. Now, as they slumped in their chairs, numb and miserable, Carter wondered how they would function in the days to come. Right now, they were driven by the need to justify Dana's death, and making the demons pay seemed to be the best way. 

A soft hiss, and the door slid open to admit Miss Fairweather and Captain Mitchell. Carter could tell they hadn't slept, either. As they took their places at the table, he studied Captain Mitchell out of the corner of his eye. His face showed no hint of emotion, but their was a rigid stiffness to his stance that hadn't been there before. As he reached to the controls that activated the monitors, his hands shook slightly. At his nod, Miss Fairweather began her briefing. 

"Although Dana's morpher was...badly damaged..." Her voice shook slightly, and she paused to compose herself. "We managed to recover some data from it, enough to reconstruct some of the events that occurred yesterday with a great deal of accuracy." Captain Mitchell leaned forward slightly as she turned to the monitors. "We weren't able to recover any of the audio data, but we were able to get a good deal from the video sensors. What you're about to see is from Dana's point of view. " The screen flared to life, and a picture appeared, wobbling and shaky. "The image is so shaky because the inertia compensators were fried." They video showed Dana's progress through the district. When the plant came into view, she spoke again. "This is her first inspection of the plant. Clearly, she saw something that made her suspicious." They watched as she talked to the gate guard. "At this point, she decided to investigate further." She was silent through the climb up the building. The others gasped as they saw the same view through the skylight. Although the image was wobbly, they could still make out the group below. While they were still looking, there was a burst of static, then a drop that made their stomachs flip. "At this point, the data indicates that she morphed." They watched as she was overwhelmed and brought before Diabolico. "I tried to extrapolate what he said, but the data was too badly corrupted."

They watched numbly as the rest of the story unfolded. Carter felt helpless as he saw the hits that Dana took. He could almost feel them. "At this point, the morphing grid overloaded and went off-line." He winced in sympathy. Miss Fairweather was silent throughout the rest of the time. No one spoke as the building caught fire. The monitor showed a wall of fire, then flared into static. Solemnly, she turned it off. 

"That's all there is. The rest of the data is beyond recovery. We do know that the demons needed the chemicals for something, but unfortunately what that is unknown. I can tell you that there were any number chemicals in that plant that are dangerous." She fell silent. There was a long moment of silence that was broken by Carter.

"Up until her morpher went off-line, it was fully operational?" She nodded. He paused, lost in thought. "I don't understand why she didn't call in at the first sign of trouble. It's not like Dana." She shrugged.

"That I don't know." They lapsed into silence.

"I know this is difficult for everyone, but we don't have time for what-ifs right now. We know that Diabolico has those chemicals and we need to know what he's going to do with them." Captain Mitchell's voice was calm and detached. "What's the status of the pink ranger powers?" He directed his question at Miss Fairweather.

"The powers are sound, it's just a matter of repairing the morpher. It'll need a new shell and a few new components, but that shouldn't be too difficult."

"Good. Make that your top priority. We're going to need all of the rangers if we're going to stop Banshira. Meanwhile, you four are going to train night and day so that when we do find Banshira, you'll be ready this time for whatever she throws at you." He stood. "We'll begin the search immediately."

Carter looked up. "What search?"

"We have to find a suitable candidate to assume the pink ranger powers." As they gazed at each other in shock, he continued. "We can't afford to have any weaknesses now. Without the rangers at full strength, we have no hope of defeating them. Carter, I want your input on this. We've already got a preliminary list of suitable candidates. I need you to help me narrow them down."

His mind spinning, he could only stare blankly. "Sir, don't you think you're being a little...hasty?"

Captain Mitchell became impatient. "No, I do not." Angrily, he turned to them all. "Now is not the time for grief or any of that. Banshira is still out there, and she doesn't care whether there are five, four, or one ranger. As long as the population of Mariner Bay are at risk, I will do everything in my power to ensure their protection. And if it means replacing the pink ranger, then so be it." He looked searchingly at each of them. "Any more objections?"

Kelsey had been sitting silent the entire time. She had barely spoken since yesterday, and her mind was still reeling from ...everything. But as Captain Mitchell discussed the future, something began to gather in her chest. Now it exploded from her mouth. 

"I can't believe you!" She shouted at him, furious. "She was your daughter. And now you're saying we're all just supposed to return to business as usual? Ignore the fact that Dana died a horrible, useless death and let you replace her like she was your old shoes?" Her voice broke as she fought down sobs. When she spoke again, it was hoarse and low. "How can you be so cold and callous? Did you ever love her? Or was she just your pet ranger? Someone to replace Ryan and train like a little machine? Well, I'm not you. I can't not care!" With that, she ran out of the room, tears running down her face.

Captain Mitchell stood where he was, frozen as he stared after her. Carter was struck at how he suddenly seemed old, old and tired. He was torn between going after Kelsey and staying where he was to keep an eye on Captain Mitchell. Chad beat him to it.

"I'll talk to her." With that, he walked briskly from the room. Picking up on the tension in the room, Miss Fairweather cleared her throat.

"I'll need some help recalibrating the morphing grid, Joel." She stared pointedly at the green ranger until he understood. 

"Right. I'll, uh, see you later, Carter." The two practically fled the room. As the door slid shut behind them, Carter was left with a hint of uncertainty. Deciding to play it safe, he remained silent, waiting for the other man to start. Captain Mitchell paced the length of the briefing room, clenching and unclenching his fists. When he finally spoke, his voice was so low that Carter had to strain to hear him. 

"I'm sorry if I seem insensitive. Believe me, I know how hard this is. I just don't want Dana to have died in vain."

"She didn't, sir. She died while fulfilling her responsibilities as a ranger. You can't ask for a more honorable sacrifice." The older man spun around.

"You asked earlier why she didn't call for backup?" Carter nodded, confused at the sudden change of topic. "Yesterday, before... I lectured her on taking her responsibilities more seriously. I knew that she had been working herself to exhaustion, still I demanded more. She went into that building with her ears still ringing, determined to prove herself to me." Carter was speechless. They were all aware of the kind of discipline and standards the older man expected. He had often wondered what it would have been like to have grown up with that. 

"Sir, Dana knew better than any of us the risks involved with being a ranger. When she chose to become a ranger, she knew there was a very real possibility she would be hurt or worse. She went into that building knowing full well she was putting herself in danger. She did it because of her sense of duty, of responsibility, a sense you instilled in her. If she hadn't, we wouldn't even know what we do about the demon's plans." He paused, and taking a deep breath, plunged forward. "To think anything else is to diminish her memory, her sacrifice. We all feel responsibility for her death. But blaming ourselves is not going to bring her back, or make Banshira pay. The best way to honor her memory is to continue to fight for what she stood for, what she believed in." He waited. As he hoped, the older man sighed and nodded.

"You're right, of course. Thank you for reminding me of that." Although he still looked sad and weary, some of the stiffness seemed to evaporate out of his shoulders. "Now, lets make Banshira pay dearly." Carter nodded as the two headed for the control room. They had just walked in the door when the monitors and control panels went wild. Miss Fairweather rushed through the door, followed close at her heels by the other rangers, sans Kelsey. 

"What is it?" Carter asked breathlessly. She studied the panel, chewing lightly on her lower lip.

"Incoming long-range transmission. Unknown frequency." Her face was a mask of puzzlement.

"What do you mean, long range?" Joel asked.

"As in, from the edge of the solar system."

"Well, let's see who's calling." Captain Mitchell declared. The viewscreen flared to life, and resolved into a human form. Carter and the others gasped

"Hi, everyone. Seeing as we were feeling homesick, and how we thought you might need a hand, we thought we'd drop by for a visit. See you soon!" With that, static replaced the grinning face of Leo, better known to the galaxy as the Red Galaxy Ranger.

To be continued...

* * *

Well, that was rather boring, but necessary. I know that this was a little slow on action, but I needed this part. The next chapter will be much moe exciting. (As soon as I figure out what to do.) Thank you to everyone who reviewed the first chapter! You have no idea how great it is, not to mention encouraging, to get such wonderfull feedback. Please, please keep it coming! (Any suggestions would be very helpful ;)

On another note, I may not post for a couple of weeks due to the fact that I have finals nonstop. (Which I should be studying for right now.) Fear not, I will continue this story as soon as I have recovered what's left of my sanity. (I might even get to sleep!) 

For those of you who asked what the title refers to, I won't make it that easy for you. If you need a hint, look up Gershwin in an encyclopedia. You won't be disappointed. (This is my feeble attempt to make you broaden your horizons;)

© 2000 by the author. No part of this may be reproduced in any form, or by any means w/o the premission of the author (hey, that's me!). Most of the time, all you have to do is ask.


	3. A Ranger Re-reunion

This is the third chapter of "Rhapsody In Pink." I strongly suggest reading the first two parts if you haven't already. Cuts down on the confusion factor. 

As allways, Power Rangers in all it's incarnations belongs to Saban and Company. I'm merely borrowing them for my own amusement.

Rhapsody In Pink

Chapter III

__

"

Death is not the greatest loss in life.

The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live."

-Norman Cousins

Carter leaned impatiently against the wall of the docking bay, chewing on his bottom lip. They had waited all day for the Galaxy Rangers to show up, and only now, as the sun was setting, did he see the ship descending through the atmosphere. The sun reflecting off of it made it look like a meteorite plunging downwards. Next to him, Joel paced impatiently. Carter knew that waiting was not one of the green ranger's strong points, and they had been waiting all day. A few meters away, Chad stood still, his eyes closed and his shoulders back. Of all of them, he seemed the most unaffected, but Carter knew better. Chad was merely better at controlling his emotions and hiding his feelings. Looking closely, he could see the slight tension in Chad's wiry frame and the absolute absence of emotion from the blue ranger's face. None of them were unaffected now. 

With a hiss, the docking bay doors parted, and Captain Mitchell and Ms. Fairweather walked in. Their timing was perfect: the ship had just settled down on the grassy field nearby. As the ship vented it's atmosphere with a hiss, the plank lowered and the Galaxy Rangers walked slowly down to meet them. Carter stepped forward into Leo's embrace.

"Long time, no see," the Red Galaxy Ranger joked half-heartedly. Carter smiled wanely.

"Nice to see you, too." The others quickly joined him.

"We have to stop meeting like this," Kai informed Chad, who also managed a slight grin. 

"Ah, fresh air at last. I was getting sick of the stale recycled stuff on the ship. Gives me a headache." Maya sighed and stretched her arms and neck. She turned at a slight cough behind her. "Oh, right. Guys, this is Damon, Green Ranger and all-around great mechanic -" A tall, lanky young man dressed in grease-stained coveralls nodded. "-And this is Kendrix, Pink Ranger and not-so-mad-but-disgustingly-brilliant scientist." A shy, be speckled girl who reminded Carter of Dana, although he didn't know why, waved. Maya paused, but at a nudge, grinned and continued. "And this rif-raf here is Mike, Leo's older brother and ex-Magna-Defender." She smiled mischievously. "Unfortunately, it's gone to his head." She ducked a mock-slap. "Damon, Kendrix, Mike, this is Carter, Joel, Chad, Captain Mitchell, Ms. Fairweather, and..." Her voice trailed off as she looked around. "Where's Kelsey?"

"That's a long story," Joel said as he put his arm around her and they headed back to the Aquabase. "I'll fill you in on the way."

* * *

Dana tried to control her shock and fear as she was thrown roughly on the floor. Judging by the echoes, she was in a far larger cavern than before. Her mind was still reeling from discovering her captor's identity: Olympious. She forced herself to focus on what was happening around her. Olympious' harsh voice grated on her ears as he spoke.

"As you can see, Mother, I have succeeded where all others, including Diabolico, have failed. HE would have left this pathetic ranger to die. HE did not recognize her potential to us. She is of much greater value to us alive, especially since her companions think her lost forever, according to the communications that I intercepted."

At this, Dana's heart sank even further. Would her friends, her own father, have given up on her that easily? _Of course, you fool. What reason do they have to think you are anything but dead? _She pushed this away violently. Whatever anyone else thought they knew, the fact was that she was not dead. She was very much alive, and while her situation was indeed dire, she was far from defeated. As long as she refused to allow herself to succumb to her fear and despair, she _would _prevail. To do anything less was to let her friends, her fellow rangers, her father and herself down. And that she would not do.

Her attention snapped back to the present when she heard Diabolico's outraged voice rise in protest. 

"You fool! Have you learned nothing from the past? As long as she lives, she is a threat to us all! And you, you idiot, you bring her here?" His voice lowered in rage. "Queen Banshira, as your loyal servant and faithful warrior, I strongly advise you to get rid of her at once! Whatever advantage she brings to us is by far outweighed by the risks she presents. Let me destroy her now!"

"Coward!" Olympious shouted. "We all know how soundly the rangers have defeated you and Vypra before. You are afraid of them! You are letting your fear speak for you. Look at her! She is utterly defenseless. How could she possibly pose a threat to the great Diabolico, the conqueror of Atlantis, the destroyer of the M'Kris?" He snorted. "Go hide with your tail between your legs, coward. Leave the fighting to the true warriors."

"How dare you!" Diabolico thundered back. "I was fighting the rangers when you were a sniveling, helpless infant lying in that alter. Apparently, little has changed since." He ignored the other demon's protest and turned to appeal to Queen Banshira directly. "Your majesty, I have served you faithfully and without complaint for three thousand years. I have never had anyone's interests in mind but yours. I am telling you this now because I, unlike others here, owe my loyalty to you. I alone have the most experience in dealing with the rangers, and, yes, I have learned to respect them as the worthy opponents they are. As long as this rangers lives to draw breath, she is a grave threat to us, and to you. Your son has not yet gained the experience to appreciate this."

Whatever Olympious was going to say was silenced by the demoness queen.

"Enough! I do not wish to waste anymore time listening to you two and your petty bickering. If you devoted as much time to the task at hand as you did to fighting amongst yourselves, the rangers would already be destroyed and my city long since risen." She paused to let her words sink in. "As Diabolico has said, your actions, my son, were rash and ill-advised. If you are ever to rule after me, you have much to learn. 

"This said, the Pink Ranger could be of great use to us against the other rangers. Diabolico, your loyalty to me has never been questioned. I do wonder why these five humans seem to present such a problem to a warrior who has crushed entire planets in the palm of his hand. Your inability to conquer a small, helpless city makes me question your ability, and your judgment. I cannot see how you can deem five young humans 'worthy opponents', especially when I see how easily my son captured one of them. 

"Olympious, she is your responsibility. She has knowledge that could be valuable to us. You will oversee the extraction of it from her. She is o be under constant guard. Do not fail me in this. Diabolico, you will not interfere with my son in any way. You will continue to oversee the latest plan to overthrow the rangers. If it works, we won't need to use her and you may destroy her as you like. Have I made myself clear?" As they turned to leave, she added one more warning. "If anything happens to her, whoever is responsible will share her fate."

* * *

"How did you get here so fast?" Chad asked Leo. The Galaxy Rangers had been quickly brought up to speed on yesterday's events. He shrugged.

"We were actually well on our way to begin with. We figured we'd take a little vacation from colony life and visit our respective homes. Kendrix got bored on the way and decided to monitor the radio and television frequencies up in the ship."

"I figured it would be nice to catch up on what's been happening on Earth." Kendrix explained. "I programmed the computer to alert me if any of the transmissions contained any key words. 'Power Ranger' was one of these. Then when Leo told me about a whole new group of rangers in Mariner Bay, I added it to the list and made it a point to monitor your stations in particular. That's how we heard about Dana."

"After that, we decided you guys might need a little extra support." Maya finished.

"I know we sure did." Kai finished. "I don't know what we would have done without the help of Andros and the others, especially Karone." Kendrix paled slightly as he spoke.

"It's hard to lose a fellow Ranger. Believe us, we know." Leo admitted. They lapsed into silence. "Anything we can do to help, you let us know. We owe you one anyway for the last time we were here."

Carter cleared his throat.

"Thanks, guys. It means a lot."

Maya stood at the base of the tree and gazed up. High up in the ancient pine's branches, Kelsey was perched, brooding silently. Sighing, Maya began to climb the tree. She settled herself on an adjoining limb and studied the girl. There were dark circles under her eyes and fresh tears ran down her cheeks. She refused to acknowledge Maya's presence and instead gazed out across the bay. 

"It hurts, doesn't it?" she asked. "It eats at you from the inside out and tears you up." Kelsey turned to her. "Everyone tells you 'time heals everything' and you have to get on with your life. As if your life will ever be the same." She paused. "So many different emotions bottled up inside you: grief, anger, guilt. You spend every moment trying to understand why. Why did it happen? Why did it happen to her? Why wasn't I there? Why didn't I do something?" 

"How do you know?" Maya had to strain to hear the question. "How do you know what I feel?"

Maya was silent for a few moments. Finally, she sighed and, staring out across the bay, began to speak in a low, intense voice.

"We were in the middle of a very difficult fight with Tracheena and the usual monster of the day. We were losing until the Andros and his group of rangers showed up. Even with their help, it was a stalemate. Then Kendrix and Cassie discovered the sword that would have given Tracheena the power to defeat us. While the rest of us were fighting a city-sized monster, they went to find and protect the sword. In the end, another monster managed to trap Cassie and was draining her morphing power, which would have killed her. In order to save Cassie, Kendrix sacrificed herself." She wiped her eyes. "Cassie was the last one to see her."

Kelsey listened as the story unfolded. When Maya stopped, Kelsey reached out and touched her arm.

"What happened?"

"Well, Karone managed to find Kendrix's galaxy saber, and after we defeated Tracheena, Kendrix appeared good as new. But those weeks when we though she was gone were the longest, hardest, saddest weeks of my life. So yes, I have some idea of how you feel right now. You blame yourself for not saving your friend." She turned to Kelsey and gripped her by the shoulders, looking her straight in the eye. "That guilt, that anger, they will tear you apart. You have to forgive both Dana for dying and yourself for letting her. Otherwise, you'll turn into the very thing you're fighting against."

"I don't know if I can." Kelsey admitted. "I'm afraid if I let go of my feelings, I'll be letting go of Dana. I'll forget her."

"No. You won't. You'll be honoring her memory and what she stood for. As long as you continue to stand against evil and injustice, there will always be a part of her here." She pointed to her heart. "With you." Kelsey smiled, tears streaming down her face.

"Thank you," she whispered, "for reminding me of that." The two hugged, united by more that their common status of yellow ranger, united by the memory of courage and friendship. When they pulled apart, both were crying and laughing at the same time.

"So tell me," Maya asked as they made their way down, "did you give up on rock climbing?"

"No, there aren't any cliffs around here to climb. I figured a tree was the next best thing."

"Good taste." Maya grimaced. "Although I wish you had chosen a different species of tree."

"Why?"

"I don't think I'll ever get this horrible sap out of my hair."

* * *

To be continued...

* * *

And now for the required author's ranting...

To those of you who have waited patiently for this, thank you for your patience. Due to circumstances beyond my control, it took a while to get this one out. Forgive any spelling and grammar errors you see, I hadn't much time to type this. Basically, my roomate took off over winter break, leaving me with $600 per month rent and no computer. Needless to say, I have been working more than full time because I needed the money. Due to this and other things (school, student teaching) my posts will not be happening very often. I still intend to finish this story, but it may take a while. Try to be patient. 

For whomever asked, try looking under George and Ira Gershwin. Good luck! As always, I would appreciate any and all feedback, comments, cristscism and suggestions. This is, after all, a work in progress. Until next time, then, may your pen flow as freely as your imagination.


	4. A New Hope

Chapter four

Author's notes: This is the fourth part in the series "Rhapsody in Pink". I recommend reading the other parts first to avoid confusion. Everything else I have to say can wait for the footnotes. 

Rhapsody in Pink

Chapter IV-A New Hope

_ _

_"He who has a why to live can bear with almost any how."-F. Nietzcshe_

_ _

_"Hope is the thing with feathers_

_That perches in the soul-_

_And sings the tune without words_

_And never stops - at all." _

_-Emily Dickenson_

Carter stood in the doorway, watching his friends. He never ceased to be amazed at the level of seamless cooperation that they had achieved in such a short amount of time. Sometimes he found it hard to believe that he had been a Ranger for a little less than six months.

_And I have lived a lifetime in those six months, he thought, we__ all have. But in that short period of time, he had grown closer to Chad, Joel, Kelsey, and Dana than anyone, including his family. He had little choice. In order to trust the others with his life and vice versa, he had to get to know them, to know that they would be there to back him up. They were a team, and like the Rangers before them, had formed bonds that were stronger than friends, than family. Each would gladly give their life for any of the others, and they all knew it. A fact that Dana had only served to underline the seriousness of their responsibilities as Rangers. Like the others, Carter had, until now, managed not to think about how dangerous, how utterly deadly, being a Ranger involved. It had always been there, in the corner of his mind, but he believed, because he wanted to, that no matter what happened, they would all return to the Aqua Base, with a few scrapes and bruises perhaps, but whole. _

Dana's death had shaken him to the core, not only because he had come to love her, as a friend, as a fellow ranger, as... something else, but because she reminded him that they were mortal and to a certain degree expendable, not a pleasant discovery for anyone, especially a human teenager. He and the others could afford to be reckless because they possessed the belief that they were somehow immortal. His confidence, and the others' as well, had been dealt a serious blow. 

Which was why he was glad for the distraction that training provided now. The four remaining rangers were spending their days in rigorous, arduous training that left them little time to think or feel. Captain Mitchell had not been exaggerating when he proclaimed they would work. He had barely enough energy at the end of the day to stumble into the shower and bed. After eight hours of thankfully deep, dreamless sleep, he would rise to the prospect of more training. The other Rangers were determined to stay and offer what help they could, so they spent their days patrolling the Bay or, in Kendrix's case, working with Miss Fairweather and the rest of the technicians. All in all, it was a schedule that left him very little time to really think, and he suspected that was partially Captain Mitchell's intent. Not that the Captain worked any less hard than his team.

The man seemed to have aged twenty years. He rarely smiled, and only spoke when absolutely necessary. Carter personally believed that the only thing keeping him sane was his work. Captain Mitchell was seemed driven to find his daughter's murderers. He lurked in the control center day and night, looking over the other's work and analyzing data. Carter secretly wondered when, or if, the man slept. 

There was one other thing. Captain Mitchell had not brought up the search for a new pink ranger since the Galaxy Rangers had arrived. Everyone was relieved on that, because no one was really prepared to admit that Dana was not coming back. Carter suspected that the denial would last for a long time. He himself was no exception. Every time he walked into the mess hall, he expected to see Dana sitting quietly, her head buried in the latest medical journal. He still automatically expected her to say something during the course of conversation. 

"Hey, Carter!" He looked up to see Leo beckoning him over to the table. The others were already there, eating and talking. He grabbed his tray and joined them. Maya and Kelsey were deep in their whispered conversation. He smiled. It was good to see Kelsey so animated. Although she wasn't back to her normal, perky self, at least she was no longer so distant and withdrawn. 

As he took a seat, Leo slapped him between the shoulder blades. Carter winced involuntarily. Even he hadn't been prepared for the three hours of rope climbing. His shoulders and arms would be sore a long time. Leo grinned in sympathy.

"Hard day?"

"You could say that." Carter looked around the table and noticed more empty seats than usual. "Where is everyone?"

Leo concentrated. "Well, let's see. Mike is off somewhere in the middle of the desert. The Captain sent him there to track down someone named Ryan. And Kendrix has become permanently attached to the diagnostic console in the control room. I don't think she's seen daylight in at least a day. Maya's given up trying to pry her away long enough for such trivial matters as eating and sleeping." 

Carter frowned. Dana had had the same sort of relentless dedication. Maybe it was a pink ranger thing. "What's so important?"

Leo shrugged. "Beats me. She muttered something about an anomaly in the power grid. I guess they're having trouble with the pink ranger powers." He craned his head. "You just missed Chad and Kai. They left a little while ago, I think to spar or something. I guess Kai got tired of wiping the floor with us."

"And Joel and Damon?"

"Joel conned him into tinkering with the Lightspeed Cycles. Not that Damon resisted much. Once a mechanic..." They laughed. Leo studied Carter carefully. "How are you holding up?"

Carter sighed. "Okay, I guess. I've been too busy to think about, you know..."

"You can say her name, you know." Leo grasped his shoulder in sympathy. 

"It's hard, you know. It's like I'm walking around and this is a bad dream, and I think I'll wake up and she be there."

"It gets easier with time. Right now, your head knows she's gone, but your heart is still in denial. For the first few weeks after Kendrix vanished, I felt like I was walking around in a haze. But as time went by, I started to come out of it. Life went on."

"It's not fair. I mean, I barely knew her. But lately, she'd been opening up to us, letting down her barriers. And now, she's gone. There were so many things I wanted to tell her."

"Like what?"

Carter squirmed a little. "Like how great she was. Of all of us, she knew what she was getting into. She had reason to hesitate. But she was always the first to jump in and help someone." He looked down at the table absentmindedly. "She had a poise, a self-assurance I admired. I wish I could have told her that."

"Sounds like you cared about her a great deal."

"I had to. We were a team. If we didn't get each other's backs, who would? I only wish I hadn't let her down."

"I could waste my breath telling you that you didn't, but I know better. The guilt is something you have to work through on your own."

"Yeah, I suppose."

"Tell me something. Did you love her?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the way Karone looks at Zhane, and Andros at his Ashley."

"I - I'm not sure. I barely knew her. We were just friends." He looked suspiciously at Leo. "Why? Have you been talking to Kelsey?"

Leo shook his head. "Let me put it this way. Was there ever a possibility, however remote, that you two could have gotten together?"

"Maybe." Carter hesitated. Had he been so busy denying that possibility to Kelsey that he was in denial himself? He shook his head. Now that the question had been raised, he would have to work it out. 

"Right." Leo looked at him skeptically. He leaned forward. "Take some advice from someone who's been down that road before. Whatever feelings you may have had for her didn't die with her. You're going to have to deal with them, because hiding them inside you is only going to hurt you." He stood up and collected his tray. "And at the very least, they'll distract you from the task at hand. We both know how deadly that can be." He deposited his tray and strode out of the mess hall, leaving Carter staring at his silverware thoughtfully.

***

Dana picked herself up from the floor of her cell where she'd been thrown after Olympious's latest interrogation. She winced as the dirt rubbed into her raw skin. At least he hadn't yet resorted to physical torture. Yet being the key word. A spell of lightheadedness came over her as she straightened up. Her head spun, and she had to grasp the cold bars for support until the spell passed.

She sat down in the corner as the familiar headache began to spread. Her stomach rumbled, and she sighed. Reaching into the bucket of water at her left, she soaked the piece of cloth she'd torn off her sleeve and pressed it to her forehead. The headache abated, but the pain in her stomach only increased. She sighed, cupped some water in her shaking hands, and drank, letting the cold liquid slide down her throat. It wasn't much, but at least the hunger pains diminished.

That had been Olympious's original plan: to starve her until she folded. Luckily, part of her training in the service had been learning to go without food for long periods of time, and it was only a matter of mind over body. Though the scents of the food that awaited her in her interrogation room grew more tantalizing every time. She smiled, remembering the anger and frustration in the demon's voice as he asked her question after question, promising her a feast. The latest session had actually been quite shorter than the previous ones, and had ended with him throwing her down in disgust. She smiled again, imagining the pressure he must be under, both from Banshira and the other demons. 

Her thoughts strayed, as they often did when she was alone in the dark, to the others, and she wondered for the umpteenth time if her father was still grieving for her. She had no way of measuring the minutes or hours in her tiny cell, but she did feel that a fair amount of time had passed. Enough to heal the wounds she had incurred, enough for the lining in her throat to have recovered. She had even gotten most of her wind back, although she still had to be careful not to breathe too deeply.

She wondered if they had found anyone to replace her in her ranger duties yet, for she had drafted that contingency plan with her father and harbored no illusions about the future. It made sense for him to replace her, despite what she guessed would have been some strong objections from her teammates. Carter especially.

Carter. The name stuck in her mind, was something to cling to when she was so hungry she would have eaten Joel's cooking. (Though no one had ever called it cooking.) When she felt like curling up into a tight ball and giving up. Call it a sense of competition or whatever, but she always kept going, determined to act as Carter would. He wouldn't give up, and therefore, neither would she. He had become her rallying cry, and she wasn't sure she liked that. 

The cold ate into her bones, and she stood and paced, flexing her arms and legs. Here she was, in what probably qualified as the worst mess she'd ever gotten herself into, and all she could think of was Carter. The sound of his voice when he spoke to her, the way his eyes seemed to shine when he laughed. How he'd never teased her, even in a friendly way, about her single-minded devotion to the service. 

She shook her head. Now was not the time. But a little treacherous voice inside her whispered that there was always later. Then she heard the familiar footsteps that signaled she wasn't going to be alone for long, and she steeled herself, all her focus on the here and now. Her feelings for Carter, however confused, were going to have to wait.

***

Kendrix sat at her station in the control center, a worried frown creasing her brow. Circles under her eyes indicated how much, or in her case how little, sleep she had gotten in the last few days. A sandwich sat unnoticed next to her, Maya's latest attempt to make her eat something. But for Kendrix, the rumbling of her stomach and the lack of sleep were easy to ignore in the face of her latest challenge. She noticed that the control center was deserted, save for a night watch technician. Miss Fairweather must have finally left to get some sleep.

A beep on the panel in front of her indicated that the latest series of diagnostics had been completed. Kendrix groaned as she read the results. The strange anomaly in the power grid had still not been accounted for, as well as the power drain. She rubbed her eyes wearily. Back to square one. She needed to reinitialize the pink power grid, she needed to find what exactly was causing the power drain. So far, all she had determined was that the power drain was somehow linked to the anomaly. Past that, it was like trying to catch a kite in the wind. Every diagnostic she had run had only reinforced what she already knew. And the myriad of programs she had used to fix the grid had been unsuccessful.

"Think, Kendrix." She told her self. "Why would there be a power drain if no one is using the powers, the morpher?" She paused, her hands frozen over the keyboard. An idea began to sneak into her mind. "There wouldn't. So, therefore, the pink ranger powers are being used." Her hands flew over the keyboard, inputting data and setting up equations that would have made her calculus teacher wince. "And if the powers are still in use, that would explain the anomaly as well." She wiped her forehead and waited for the computer to run her program. "So, the question is, who or what is using the powers without the morpher?"

"Is it even possible?" She looked at the readouts. "In order to draw power from the power grid without the morpher, one would have to be familiar with the grid, and have a strong connection. So, it would have to be someone with previous ranger experience." She swallowed as the consequences of her hypothesis became apparent. Her hands shook slightly as she input one final equation. After what seemed like an eternity, she got an answer. The blood drained from her face. The only answer available to her was so unlikely that she was tempted to recheck her numbers. But she knew that the data was right. "Eliminate the impossible, and whatever remains must be the solution, no matter how unprobable," she muttered. She looked at her watch. 

"This definitely merits waking everyone at three in the morning." With that, she left to rouse the others to tell them of her theory.

***

"My apologies, my Queen, but this can not wait." In Queen Banshira's throne room, Diabolico strode forward and kneeled at his queen's feet. His eyes glinted dangerously as he awaited his queen's pleasure. It was not long in coming.

"You have something to report?" She studied the warrior before her. Beside her, on a lower dais, Olympius glared at the kneeling warrior.

Diabolico refused to rise to the silent challenge in Olympious' eyes and forced himself to nod. "Yes, your highness." He looked up, requesting permission to stand. A small nod reassured him. "I have been watching the Rangers closely, and I believe I have found a way to keep them from disrupting our plans." He did not turn as whispers and snorts of disbelief rustled through the court. 

Banshira smiled. "A most daring claim." She leaned back in her throne and waited. "And what exactly did you have in mind?" She flicked her claws out and ran them across the armrest, scratching the stone. "For your sake, I hope it's good."

"Yes, my queen." He took the time to smile at Olympious before he continued. "In observing the Rangers, I have noticed that they have a set pattern of behavior."

"Anyone could have seen that!" Olympious snorted derisively.

"And yet no one has made any serious attempt to exploit this weakness." Diabolico was pleased to see Olympious narrow his eyes and clench his fists. It signified a loss of control, of composure, no matter how small. "And with our current plan, everyone will agree that we can't afford for the Rangers to interfere again. It would mean utter failure."

"Go on." Queen Banshira looked bored, but Diabolico saw how rigid her posture was, how bright her eyes were.

"In order to put this very delicate plan in the final stages, the Rangers - all of them - must be sufficiently distracted."

"And how do you intend to do this? That tactic has been tried before."

"Half-heartedly. A monster here, a few worthless batwings there." Diabolico waved that away. "No, we've always underestimated the Rangers before. A serious distraction that would take advantage of the Rangers' universal weakness: their commitment to the innocent populations they all swear to protect." He leaned forward, pitching his voice so that it rang through the room. "If we give them enough to do to protect the mortals, our plan will go unnoticed."

"Says you." Olympious turned to plead to his mother. "We can't believe him, he's failed too many times before."

"Be quiet, or be gone." Banshira rounded on her son, furious. "Your words are influenced by anger and jealousy. As long as you persist in this foolish rivalry, I can not accept your words as anything more that a childish temper tantrum." She then addressed Diabolico. "The entire operation rests on your shoulders. If anything should happen, it is you that I will punish. Is that clear?"

"Yes, my queen."

"Good. Carry on. I want my palace restored to its rightful place, or you will wish you never existed."

***

"I'm beginning to wish I never existed," Dana told herself as she crouched in a corner of her cell, shivering. "I mean, at least then I wouldn't be here." She was trying to stretch her legs, but the cold stone seemed to sap all the energy and warmth from her. She would have given her eyeteeth for a cup of soothing tea and a bowl of soup right then. "Yeah, right. File that under never, Dana." She giggled at the thought of one of the demons standing over a stove, wearing an apron. 

Her pleasant picture vanished as she was joined by Olympious. Thankfully, the demon made no move take her anywhere and, by the lack of footsteps, was merely standing there. Dana forced herself to stand and walk confidently forward until her fingers brushed the bars.

"Are you lost, Olympious? The demon-reject center is two caves down. But then, I'm sure you know the way." She smiled sweetly.

"One of these days, mortal, there won't be anything between us. Then you will live just long enough to regret your insolence." His voice was shaking slightly, and Dana was glad to know she had had some effect on him. 

"The only thing I'll regret is having wasted my time with you when I could be facing a real opponent, not some spoiled, overgrown child." She sniffed in disdain. "That is, if the others don't utterly humiliate you first."

"Others? You mean those pathetic mortals who believe you dead? They're too easily fooled. Very soon now, my mother's palace will be risen and your friends won't be able to stop it."

"More empty threats?"  
"Hardly empty. As we speak, a plan is unfolding that will be unstoppable."

"Let me guess, you're going to send yet another demon to trash the city and then get soundly defeated."

"Wrong again."

"You're too stupid and arrogant to come up with a plan that will actually work. Tell the truth, it was all Diabolico's idea, wasn't it?"

"Him? He couldn't even destroy one ranger."

"And you have a better track record? Face it, the Rangers will wipe the floor with you, as usual." Dana put as much contempt as she could muster into her voice. As she hoped, Olympious became furious.

"Your friends will be a little too busy to interfere. My plan will succeed."

"Oh, really? And what exactly is your great plan?"

"Simple. The chemicals we obtained are even now fusing into an explosive mixture powerful enough to destroy everything in a hundred-mile radius."

"That's your plan? One lousy bomb?"

"Oh, but I haven't told you the best part yet. In the greatest of all ironies, the detonator will be keyed to your morphers. When your friends morph to fight, the bomb will detonate." He laughed. 

Dana wanted to scream, to go through the bars and release her anger and pain and shock on her captor. Instead, she deliberately sat down and chuckled.

"Right. Even if you could access our morphers, what makes you think the others won't find out what you're doing and stop you?"

"Because, my dear, they'll be too busy elsewhere. Distractions that will ensure that we can proceed at will."

"Forgive me if I'm not impressed."

"It doesn't matter, you will be. You know, I was going to destroy you now that I don't need you, but I think I'll keep you around for the sheer amusement of watching your face when your friends are gone and your city had fallen. My own living trophy." Still chuckling, he walked away, leaving Dana to her own worries, which had substantially increased.

***

"This isn't my idea of a joke, Kendrix," Carter informed her. All the rangers, plus Captain Mitchel and Miss Fairweather, had gathered at Kendrix's request in the briefing room. The yawning and weariness had vanished in the wake of her explanation. Shock, disbelief, and the tiniest glimmer of hope were all making the rounds on the others' faces. Carter, however, was the first to speak. 

"It's no joke. It's true."

"Then Dana's alive?" Kelsey was staring wide-eyed at Kendrix. Her voice was so low they had to strain to hear her.

"I believe she is. It's the only explanation."

"How? Where is she, then?" Captain Mitchel had sat down heavily upon hearing the news. Kendrix guessed he was in a state of shock.

"I don't know." She wished she could tell them more, but she had no more to tell.

"I don't understand. If she survived, why didn't she come back here?" Joel was the one who voiced that question. 

Kendrix sighed. It was something she had thought about, and the answer she had found was not going to make them any happier. "Maybe she couldn't."

"So where is she, then?" Carter repeated the captain's earlier question.

"I looked over the data from the explosion. Just before it happened, I found a faint energy pulse that was consistent with teleportation." She took a deep breath and plunged forward, not waiting for the shock to die down. "Further analysis revealed that the energy signature was consistent with that of the demons' capability." 

The silence in the room was ended as the others gasped in reaction. Kendrix watched in sympathy. It was something she had felt a short time earlier, and she was still having a hard time accepting it.

"You mean Diabolico has her?" Chad was calm, but there was a glint in his eyes she had seen all too often.

"That would be the logical assumption."

"Where?" Kelsey looked up, hope brimming in her eyes.

"I can't tell." Kendrix sighed in frustration. "I've tried to triangulate based on the energy signature, but I can't pin it down. I think, as does Miss Fairweather, that it's because she's in another dimension."

"If we don't know where she is, how can we go after her?" Carter asked.

"I don't know." Kendrix ran her hands over her eyes, wondering how long it had been since she'd slept. 

"But we can't just leave her there!" Joel was adamant, a feeling shared by the others.

"There has to be a way." Kelsey threw in desperately.

"There is." Carter paused, his forehead wrinkled in thought. "But we're going to need some help."

"What, two groups of Rangers aren't enough?" Leo asked, jokingly.

"Not for this." Carter let his gaze rest upon Dana's father. The older man was frozen, barely breathing. Carter cleared his throat, and Captain Mitchel jumped guiltily. "Let's hope Mike's supernatural luck has held out."

***

Dana was flung back into her cell so hard she hit the back wall with a dull thud. Feigning unconsciousness, she waited until her captor's footsteps receded into nothingness before she sat up, wincing. Although she had a fresh set of bruises, nothing seemed broken. 

"Perfect," she muttered, "just perfect! How come there are never any bad guys whose HQ is on say, a sunny tropical island and whose idea of torture is boring you to death with their talking? But no, we had to get the queen of the demons and her evil lackeys. Just my luck." She choked on the last word and began to cough again. Once the spasm was over and she could breathe, she stood up and began pacing her small cell. "Think, Dana," she commanded herself. "There has to be a way out of here. You have to find it!" A part of her wondered if she was merely providing herself with a diversion in order to avoid thinking about her fate at the hands of Olympious. "Enough!" If she let herself, she would panic and that would do her no good. "Think! That is, after all, what you're good at." 

Her contemplation was interrupted when her cell door was thrown open. Berating herself for letting her mind wander, Dana stood as tall as she could, determined not to show any fear or weakness. 

"Come with me." Diabolico's voice was low. She shook her head and crossed her arms defiantly. 

"What if I won't?"

"Then I summon the others and they drag you. This way, you get to keep your dignity." She tried not to let her surprise show on her face.

"And what do you care about my dignity." 

He paused."Though you are my enemy, you have shown yourself to be honorable and loyal. As a fellow warrior, I respect that." 

She nodded."Fine." They left the cell and walked slowly down a long, gently curving corridor. She could tell the corridor was gradually sloping down. Diabolico kept one hand on her shoulder, restraining her. She was oddly grateful, for it kept her from having to grope along the wall. The sense of going further underground was reinforced as the air grew colder. Shivering slightly, she discreetly flexed her fingers, trying to maintain feeling in them. "Tell me, why does your integrity not extend to kidnapping and the corruption of children?" She was deliberately taunting him.

"You speak of your brother?" She nodded, unable to trust her voice. "Kidnapping is hardly the term I'd use. I would call it rescued. Without my intervention, not only him, but you, as well, would have died." She spun around, brushing away his arm.

"Rescued? You took him away from us, from me." Her voice broke, and she stopped to steady it. "You stole what was left of his childhood and poisoned him with your lies. Because of you, he grew up filled with hatred." He gripped her arm.

"It was because of me that he grew up at all!" Giving her a small but forceful shove, they continued walking. "And they may have been lies to you, but to him they were the only truths worth learning." They stopped in front of a doorway. Despite her resolve, she trembled at what might await her on the other side. Throwing her shoulders back, she kept her chin up, determined to keep her dignity. She didn't see Diabolico's eyes, watching her every move. Something akin to respect showed on his face.The she was sent stumbling through the doorway, which sealed itself behind her.

***

Mike stopped as he crested a dune, wiping his face with an equally grimy sleeve. The sun shone above, searing his skin and roasting him as he stood. His feet felt as if they were two sizes too big for his boots, and as sore as if he just completed a triathlon. He just about had, and would have preferred the triathlon if only for the chance to plunge into a cool ocean. It was slowly coming back to him exactly why he'd joined the service in the first place: he much preferred the deathly cold of space to this infernal heat.

He allowed himself a few swallows from his canteen before setting off again, sliding in the loose sand. In the distance, the wavy shapes of distant dunes seemed to dance in the hot air. He glanced ruefully at his communicator as he trudged along. It seemed that he was always having to do all the dirty work while Leo got all the perks. Like now. While he was trekking through the desert looking for someone who probably didn't want to be found, Leo was back with the others, relaxing. Well, not relaxing, really, but compared to this...

Mike smiled grimly. One of these days, Leo was going to reconcile that particular debt. He wondered if Kendrix would consent to taking pictures. He shook his head ruefully. Later...

Ahead, something flashed on the sand, blinding him momentarily. Mike shaded his hands and peered across the barren land, squinting. The light was bright, but he thought he saw a small shadow cast out. Despite the sand in his shoes and the blisters he'd tried to ignore, Mike managed to quicken his pace until he was cresting the last dune. A figure emerged from the small tent as he approached, silhouetted by the setting sun. 

"What do you want?" The figure spoke. Mike grinned as he got closer. The young man, no more than a boy, really, fit the description Captain Mitchel had given him. Mike realized he was grinning like an idiot, but he was too tired to care.

"To find you, Ryan Mitchel." Mike ignored the dumbfounded expression and settled himself onto one of the low chairs, sighing as he took his weight off his weary feet. "Yes, I know who you are." He loosened the laces off his boots and pulled them off, dumping a good deal of sand out in the process.

"How - what do you want?" Ryan made no move to come closer and instead glared at Mike. Mike saw the flash of panic that Ryan just as quickly hid. "Who are you?"

"My name is Mike, and your father sent me." Mike sighed as he peeled off his socks and let the marvelously cool dusk air flow over his feet. "We need your help."

"We?" Ryan stiffened. "Are you a Ranger?"

"No, and it's a long story." Mike sighed. "One we don't have time for. The others need your help."

"Why me?" Ryan had turned away, his face in shadow, but Mike heard the agony behind the question. 

"Because, frankly, you're the only one with the knowledge and experience we need." Mike stood, wincing, and dared to touch the other's shoulder lightly. "A lot has happened in the last week."

"I left for a reason, you know. I very nearly killed them. I very nearly killed my own sister. What could you possibly tell me that is worth that risk?"

"Plenty." Mike sighed again, trying to find an easy way to break the news. "Like I said, a lot has happened. And right now, you're the last hope Dana has."

That got his attention. Ryan spun around and grabbed Mike's shoulders. "What? What do you mean?"

"Sit down." Mike gently freed himself and pointed to the chair. "This is complicated, and you're not going to like it." To his amazement, Ryan complied, silently and without protest. Mike took the opposite chair and took a sip to wet his mouth. "Dana's been missing for the last week. In fact, up till this morning, we thought she was dead."

"Dead? Is she hurt? Where is she?" Ryan looked ready to take off then and there.

"Alive, we think, but we don't know much more than that." Mike went on, explaining in as much detail as he could the events of the last week, including the jubilant conversation he'd had with Carter and Kendrix that morning. 

"So you see," he finished as the last rays of the sun touched his cheek, "they need your help. You're the only one who has any knowledge of Banshira's lair, any way we can find her, let alone get to her."

Ryan sat in silence, his face hidden by his hair. When he spoke, Mike had to lean in to hear him. "I hated her, you know?" Mike nodded. "Growing up, they told me that he'd chosen her over me. All I could think of when I'd gotten the Titanium morpher was how I finally had a chance to make her pay. I'd managed to forget how she used to look up to me when we were little, how she turned to me when Mom died. We were so close, back then. Dad used to say we were his twins, because we used to finish each other's sentences. And all it took was ten years for me to forget everything."

"It's easy to forget, given the right circumstances, and motivation." Mike had to drag himself out of his own torment. "You were only a child. No one blamed you then, nor do they now." He paused to breathe. "Just breaking through all those years of brainwashing shows that you have extraordinary courage and strength of will. And from what Carter's told me, it's a family trait."

As he'd hoped, that elicited a chuckle from Ryan. The blond stared at Mike, until Mike was fidgeting uncomfortably, then signaled his acceptance with a slight nod.

"She told me before I left that no matter what, I'd always be her big brother" Ryan let the last dying rays shine on his face, and Mike was struck by the determination he saw there. "I'd say it's time to show Diabolico and the rest what they get when they mess with my little sister."

***

It was a council of war that convened in the large briefing room the next afternoon. Carter slid into his seat at the far end of the table and studied the assembled people. Both groups of rangers were there, as well as the Captian and Miss Fairweather. Mike and Ryan had arrived early that morning. They'd managed to get a few hours of sleep since, but Carter personally thought that Mike looked like he could use a few more. Ah, well. Sleep deprivation was something every Ranger had experienced.

He had slept little upon hearing Kendrix's announcement. He seemed to have gone from a numb stupor to a hyperactive daze. He found it difficult to sit still even now, knowing that Kendrix was alive. Knowing that she was in the hands of Diabolico. Knowing if she was injured or, and he hesitated to think, worse. It puzzled him. He had leared early on that reckless action often got him burned, both in the literal and figurative sense. He knew they needed a plan, needed a careful, methodical course of action. And still he chafed, unable to concentrate on anything except Dana. Knowing, hoping that he would see her soon. See her clear blue eyes, and her dazzling smile that left his stomach tying knots in itself. He frowned. Leo had a point after all.

His attention was dragged back to reality when Captian Mitchel cleared his throat. The others looked as tense as he felt, but they, too, calmed enough to listen.

"Miss Fairweather and Kendrix have been working since dawn to find a way to get to Dana. Our problem is two-fold. The first part is that we need a way to cross the dimensional barrier. After much debate and work, they've assured me that is an obstacle we can overcome." He nodded gratefully at the two. Kendrix blushed in embarrassment.

"The second part is going to be a bit more difficult. Once we get to the demon's lair, we'll need to know where Dana is being held. That's where Ryan comes is. His knowledge of the layout of the place will be invaluable to getting to her and getting everyone out safely." He nodded to his eldest son. Ryan looked pale, but managed a shaky smile.

"I've been thinking hard about this, and I think I can get in there and out again undetected." Ryan began. "I know how to get around, and where she'll be."

"We'll go with you-" Joel began, but Ryan shook his head.

"No. I know the kind of barriers, both magical and physical, they have. With stealth, one person can get in, but not four."

"What about two?" Carter leaned forward earnestly.

Ryan studied him silently. "Maybe," he answered reluctantly. "But I'd prefer to go alone."

"Too bad." Carter faced him. "You'll need someone to watch your back. And if Dana can't walk, you can't carry her and return fire at the same time."

"I wasn't planning on having to shoot," Ryan declared. "They'll outnumber me a hundred to one. Stealth, not firepower, is what will get Dana out." He held Carter's gaze, refusing to so much as blink.

"Enough." Captian Mitchel put a hand on Carter's shoulder. "Carter's right in that you'll need company. And Ryan's right it that subltlety is the way to go." He thought for a moment. "You both will go."

Ryan looked ready to protest, but his father glared until he subsided. "Ryan, you're going to have enough to do. Carter has proven that he can be an invaluable asset. He knows how to creep, and he'll provide the extra firepower in case anything goes wrong." He glanced at Miss Fairweather. "You'll go first thing in the morning."

"What about the rest of us, sir?" Chad broke his silence. "I mean, isn't there something we can do?"

Captain Mitchel smiled gratefully. "I'm going to need Kendrix here, and the rest of you are going to full alert. If we have trouble, we're already two rangers down."

***

The next morning found them all gathered in the park. It was early enough to still be deserted, for which Carter was eternally grateful. He wiped sweaty palms on his pants and tried to concentrate on what Miss Fairweather was saying. 

"The only way to get through the dimensional barrier is through the power grid, and the morphers." 

Carter looked down at the small device on his wrist.

"We'll send a burst of raw power through the grid, and down through your morphers."

"Won't they overload?" That came from Ryan, who looked as uncomfortable as Carter felt. "I thought that's what happened to Dana."

"Not quite the same." She was quick to reassure him. "We've figured out how to bypass those circuits. Instead of overloading, the power will be used to send you through the dimensional barrier. Not unlike teleportation."

"I thought the morphers weren't designed to teleport." Carter was confused.

"They aren't." Miss Fairweather sighed. "And believe me, it wasn't for lack of trying. We honestly don't know how the process works."

"But the other groups of Rangers..." Kelsey protested.

"Had powers that were created by Zordon long before they were born. Just as you," She pointed to Leo and his friends, "Came into powers that were created by who knows what. The Lightspeed powers were created from scratch, with the most modern technology at our disposal. Which doesn't include the secrets of teleportation."

"Fine. You zap us to another dimension. How exactly do we get back?" Ryan broke in impatiently.

"That's where the morphers come in." She handed Ryan the pink morpher. "Dana has to be wearing this for us to get a lock on her. We'll bring you back by reversing the polarity of the morphing energy. That should, in theory, suck you back into our dimension."

"In theory?" Carter had been about to ask the same question, but Joel had beaten him to it.

Another sigh. "We haven't any means of testing it, since the morphers are linked to your bioenergy. But both Kendrix and I agree that the math is sound."

"Great. Carter and Ryan are going to risk their lives on whether or not you forgot a decimal point." Joel groaned.

"That's enough, Joel." Captain Mitchel walked over to them and clasped each by the shoulder. Ryan didn't quite flinch, but Carter saw him stiffen. "Are you two ready?" The both nodded warily. "Then, go." He stepped back, and what he didn't say was as loud as what he did. Bring her back. Carter was afraid to ask for the what else.

He and Ryan stood still, hearts pounding, as Miss Fairweather pushed some buttons on the small portable console. They'd had to leave from the park because she was afraid there was too much interference from the Aqua Base. Carter stored the sight of the peaceful shade trees in his memory, praying he'd see them again.

"All systems green, initiating the charge now." Energy coursed through Carter, sending the hair on his body standing straight up. The morpher seemed to grow warmer on his arm. The energy grew stronger, setting his nerves on fire, searing it's way through his body. Carter felt like he was testing the Titanium morpher again, only with more pain. Just when he was sure he would pass out, there was a flash, and he felt as if he was being propelled forward. Then his world went black.

***

Heh-heh. Don't you just love cliffhangers? Anyway, that's all for the moment. Don't fret, I plan on finishing this, and as soon as possible. Now that I only have one job...

I'd like to thank everyone who bothered to review this. You've been incredibly supportive, not to mention patient. I only hope it was worth the wait. And as the saying goes, do I have a story for you...

A number of things have happened in the last few months. I found a roomate. I managed to resurrect my parents' old Centris, and am writing this to you in Works 3.0.It doesn't even have a modem, so if I take a while answering e-mail, it's because I have to go to work to do so.

You may be asking, "Even so, what took her so long?" In addition to class and two jobs and student teaching, I just wasn't happy with the way the story was progressing. It got to the point that I didn't know what to write next. Talk about writer's block. Thankfully, I hit my head on the safe at work and was struck by inspiration, along with a few other things, including a rather massive cash drawer. Three stitches and a bottle of painkillers later, I managed to set this down. Now you know the rest of the story...

If things go according to plan, I should have this thing wrapped up in one or two more chapters. So if you have any suggestions or comments, be sure to send them in. This is, after all, a work in progress.

As usual, this is © 2001 by me. It may not be reproduced, either digitally or otherwise, without my say-so. Archivers, just ask me first. Unless there's a decent reason otherwise, I'll say yes.


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